Friday, March 16, 2007

John 8:48-58 (The Message)
I Am Who I Am
48The Jews then said, "That clinches it. We were right all along when we called you a Samaritan and said you were crazy—demon-possessed!"
49-51Jesus said, "I'm not crazy. I simply honor my Father, while you dishonor me. I am not trying to get anything for myself. God intends something gloriously grand here and is making the decisions that will bring it about. I say this with absolute confidence. If you practice what I'm telling you, you'll never have to look death in the face."
52-53At this point the Jews said, "Now we know you're crazy. Abraham died. The prophets died. And you show up saying, 'If you practice what I'm telling you, you'll never have to face death, not even a taste.' Are you greater than Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you think you are!"
54-56Jesus said, "If I turned the spotlight on myself, it wouldn't amount to anything. But my Father, the same One you say is your Father, put me here at this time and place of splendor. You haven't recognized him in this. But I have. If I, in false modesty, said I didn't know what was going on, I would be as much of a liar as you are. But I do know, and I am doing what he says. Abraham—your 'father'—with jubilant faith looked down the corridors of history and saw my day coming. He saw it and cheered."
57The Jews said, "You're not even fifty years old—and Abraham saw you?"
58"Believe me," said Jesus, "I am who I am long before Abraham was anything."
59That did it—pushed them over the edge. They picked up rocks to throw at him. But Jesus slipped away, getting out of the Temple.

Jesus says a lot of things that confuse the people to whom he speaks. He also says a lot of things that make them mad. In this passage, Jesus says things that both confuse and anger people. Jesus has made some comments that if people follow him that will not have to face death.

We can see how this is confusing. Everyone who has ever lived, even the religious heroes like Abraham and the prophets, has died. How could people who follow Jesus not die? It must be that Jesus is talking about something spiritual, supernatural, while the people with whom he argues cannot get their minds around anything but physical stuff.

As a result, the people just assume Jesus is crazy. But what is even crazier, is Jesus’ next comment. He said Abraham saw him. This would have been very confusing for the people. They knew that Abraham had been dead for hundreds of years. How could Abraham have seen Jesus? Jesus is not even old!

Now comes the part where the people get angry. Jesus tells them “I am who I am long before Abraham was anything.” This makes the people angry because they know that by making this statement Jesus is claiming to be God. Do you remember the story of Moses and the burning bush? When Moses asks God’s name God replies “I AM WHO I AM.” The people try to kill Jesus by stoning him. They do not think anyone should claim to be God.

Jesus is eternal. There has never been a time when he did not exist. That is how Abraham could have seen Jesus and how Jesus could have existed before Abraham was born. Jesus really is God. People in his day and people today have trouble believing Jesus is who he claimed to be. They think it is easier to call him crazy.

What do you think?